EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 423 



They have fine-boned legs, free from wool below the knees and hocks. 

 This flock was established in 1859, since which time but few ewes have 

 been bought. It is a noted flock, and has been freely drawn upon by 

 sheep-breeders of France, Germany, Eussia,and Canada, and, to a very 

 small extent, by the United States. 



There are two flocks of Suffolks in Canada, one owned by Blanchard 

 D. Sewell, of Fredericton, Province of New Brunswick, the other by 

 the Ontario Agricultural College at Guelph. Mr. Sewell imported 20 

 ewes in the fall of 1888 from Joseph Smith's flock. In the spring of 

 1889 they brought him 38 lambs, 37 of which he raised. In the spring 

 of 1891, out of 32 ewes he weaned 58 lambs, and good ones. He sold 

 some early lambs as Easter lambs, one month old, weighing 22 pounds 

 and upwards, for which he received $5 per head. Mr. Sewell considers 

 the Suffolks as good sheep for Canada, standing the cold well, and 

 yielding above the average clip of wool of a superior quality, and second 

 to none in mutton. Under date of November 2, 1891, he writes: 



I have sheep by ine now, registered Suffolk, which have had their lambs killed for 

 sale in the spring, with a second crop now 2 months' old running with them. I 

 consider them as producers of early lambs and good quality superior to homed 

 Dorset. 



Mr. Sewell clips 9 pounds per fleece on the average. His rams run 

 from 200 to 240 pounds. 



During a visit to England, in 1887, Mr. M. B. Streeter, of Brooklyn, 

 an owner of Southdowns from boyhood, and an admirer of the dark- 

 faced Down families, saw some of the Suffolks at the Metropolitan 

 stock yards, near London, and was struck with their remarkably orna- 

 mental quality, and, in 1888, made an importation from the prize stock 

 of Joseph Smith, of Hasketou. One of his yearling ewes (1 year 9 

 months old) just after coming off the vessel weighed precisely 200 

 pounds. A rani lamb, 9 months old, weighed 195 pounds. In the 

 spring of 1890 a 7-weeks-old lamb weighed 85 pounds, and it was a 

 twin. In the spring of that year he had 2 lambs for every ewe. One 

 had a single lamb and one had 3, which kept up the average. In 

 the spring of 1891 his 5 imported ewes produced 11 lamb?, and in the 

 spring of 1892 the same 5 ewes produced 14 lambs. 



As to the product of wool, in a letter to the writer of this article, 

 under date of May 7, 1892, Mr. Streeter says: 



To be candid with you, I think these sheep have just one fault they are not heavy 

 shearers. Of all the heavy mutton breeds they are perhaps the most natural, or 

 the least manipulated by a long course of selection to produce show points. If I 

 understand rightly, this breed has been developed under conditions that called for 

 much rustling for food, and they are somewhat leggy and bare of wool underneath. 

 I like them as well as I ever did, and am willing they shall shear light because of 

 other undoubted advantages. 



Mr. Streeter's flock is at Berlin, Kensselaer County, and consists of 

 15 ewes besides his last crop of lambs. It is the only flock known in 

 the United States. 



